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It was a never a secret that the Cowboys were taking a defensive player in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. They had major needs at defensive end, cornerback and safety. (Video by Max Faulkner/Star-Telegram) mfaulkner@star-telegram.com

It was a never a secret that the Cowboys were taking a defensive player in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. They had major needs at defensive end, cornerback and safety. (Video by Max Faulkner/Star-Telegram) mfaulkner@star-telegram.com

If Gregory had worked out, the Cowboys would not have needed to select Taco Charlton in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Randy Gregory’s butterfly effect on the Cowboys has been a mess.

Just add Gregory to the impressive list of duds who have formed the Cowboys’ Curse of the Second Round draft selections, joining the likes of Jaylon Smith, DeMarcus Lawrence, Gavin Escobar and Bruce Carter.

There is nothing but stupid when it comes to the story of Gregory’s NFL “career,” with no allowances for common sense.

Gregory, already banned for the 2017 season because he can’t pass a drug test, has flunked yet another one, according to TMZ. The Cowboys say they “fully support” Gregory. Of course, they said the same thing about Joseph Randle and Rolando McClain.

Last week, Goodell told ESPN’s “Mike and Mike” that weed “does have an addictive nature. There are a lot of compounds in marijuana that may not be healthy for the players long-term. ... I want to make sure that the negative consequences aren’t something that we’ll be held accountable for some years down the road.”

It is comforting to know that Mr. Goodell is concerned. It’s been proven that just playing the game of football can have negative consequences, but the NFL has gone out of its way to absolve itself from responsibility.

And never mind the prescription pain medication that teams routinely hand to players or the well-documented cases of alcohol abuse.

From a PR standpoint, Goodell should have said the NFL will not permit marijuana until the U.S. government makes it legal.

While the NFL’s policy regarding weed is stupid, so, too, are the users who are too dumb to avoid detection. The NFL tests for weed only once a year, and the players know when the test is coming.

The problem is that if they fail it once, then they are subjected to increased testing. These are the guys who need genuine help.

Critics of the NFL say the league should do more to help, but why? Guys like Gregory and fellow weed offender Josh Gordon are adults with access to resources who should be accountable for their own screwups. Fellas, these are not hard rules and this ain’t college. If you want to be a professional, act like a professional, no matter how inane the rules.

Gregory likely just smoked his way out of the league, a league that refuses to come to terms with society’s evolving stance on marijuana.

While there is evidence to suggest rampant use of marijuana before 25 can be highly detrimental to brain development, when used in moderation it can be no different than alcohol, cigarettes or other legal vices.

Guys such as Gregory make it hard to believe marijuana is not addictive.

According to DrugAbuse.gov, “Marijuana can lead to the development of problem use, known as marijuana disorder, which takes the form of addiction of severe cases. Recent data suggest that 30 percent of those who use marijuana may have some degree of marijuana use disorder.”

Considering all that is at stake for Gregory and the staggering number of times he has failed this test, he fits that description.

That is on him, but his decision to keep firing it up affects the Cowboys and is the reason they are hoping a Taco is their latest answer at defensive end.